Thursday, November 13, 2008

I Love My Horse

Today I went to bring Werther in, after I walked a few feet, he actually came when I called him which he has not done before. After I got his halter on and gave both Werther and TJ their treats, I turned around to leave the paddock and I noticed the gate had swung open behind me. TJ was moving too fast for me and I could not cut him off before he got out the paddock. He started out waliking so I thought maybe I could catch up to him and herd him into the barn. As soon as I got out the the paddock he started trotting down the lane of paddocks. Luckily, I had my cell phone with me and I called my trainer Andre inside the barn and she got a groom to come out and help me. At this point, TJ was on the grassy lane on the left side of the barn in between the paddocks and the paved driveway where we pull up the trailer to load it. He started galloping and bucking up the lane, and sometimes turning and cantering down the blacktop. I was really sacred, I thought that A) he was going to run into me because he kept galloping straight and Werther and turning away at the last second. B) That he was going to slip and fall and I was going to watch him break his leg on the black top. Luckily, Jorge caught him. TJ is already extremely lame right now because of arthritis from Lymes disease, my Mom has already pretty much decided that she is going to put him down before she leaves for Thermal. I feel really bad for him, but it is better than living out the next 15 years being so uncomfortable and wild because he can't be in work. While all this was going on Werther was so good, he just stood at ate grass. I was afraid to move Werther because I thought it might rile TJ more. Werther was so good in his stall and cross ties, and was just so relaxed and calm when I rode him, it helped me to get my heart to stop racing, I had so much adrenaline pumping after what happened with TJ. I started out cantering on the right lead, it took two tries to get him to pick him up but once he did he was perfect. Lately when we have started cantering, he roots on the first stride, especially on the right lead, but he refrained from doing that today. He picked up the left lead on the first try, and when I switch directions and asked him to pick up to right lead again he did it on the first attempt.

About Me

Eleanor is from Wayzata, MN. She has Cerebral Palsy and has been riding her whole life. She currently competes in grade III para equestrian dressage with her horse Vadico Interagro and Carino H both co owned by Eleanor Brimmer and Liza MacMillan.
Awards
Reserve Champion overall USEF Grade III Championships with Carino H.
3rd Place overall USEF Grade III Championships with Vadico Interagro.